Rotting Christ Album: “Non Serviam: A 20 Year Apocryphal Story [CD/2DVD]”

Rotting Christ is one of the best black metal groups I've come across so far, and this is one of their classics. No metal fan should be without.

I enjoy some Black Metal but not all. Many of the earlier Black Metal from Norway is just too primitive and scratchy in the production department, and they held onto that for a lot longer than many other groups. Rotting Christ does have a objectionable name which looking at their lengthy history, was a name picked up in the earliest days of the genre, and even though Rotting Christ changed their musical format, decided to keep the name. However their music is the most accessible style of black metal anyone could ever encounter, and has shown in over 2 decades of accomplishments that Rotting Christ is always cutting edge, creative and innovative. After a couple debut-ish albums comes 1994's Non Serviam. The recording and production is the perfect blend of black metal style bad production and and absolutely clear instruments and vocals. It doesn't have a perfect sparkly sheen of a production like 1996's Triarchy of the Lost Lovers. The instruments are flatter and a bit more scratchy and there is no clear air space like the next album, BUT every instrument is at the front, and perfectly listenable, which is what I feel made this album so fantastic. The Fifth Illusion starts the album off excellent with RC's trademark unmistakable riffing. Then comes Wolfera the Chacal, which is quintessential Rotting Christ, and is perhaps the greatest Black Metal song ever. Then comes the thematic Non Serviam. This is just a powerhouse of a black metal album. Their next album, Triarchy of the Lost Lovers is their masterpiece and I feel one of the best extreme metal albums, but Non Serviam absolutely needs its place right next to Triarchy. This is a must have.

This album has been on continual rotation for the last two years and I can't say a thing against it except that I wish that I'd found it sooner. The melodies, the riffs, the lyrics...man this album is too good for words. "Reality of a dark age" and "non serviam" were the two stand out tracks for me because they are the ones that I still remember almost note for note and the ones that initially had caught my attention. Don't think that the others are filler though because they aren't.

It has elements from all genres of metal and the growl vocals are understandable which adds something as well. The solos and melodies are great and it's nice to hear them in a "Black Metal" album, Dark Fortress blew me away on their "Profane Genocidal Creations" album using melodic elements that showed a certain level of technicality, but also never weakened or distracted from the music itself which remains killer and intense. The keyboards in this album are subtle and mainly provide a bit of atmosphere, never taking center stage. This album just has something for every headbanger out there and is addictively good. You will be playing it in your head for years, trust me on that one. My only debate is that it's not really black metal in the true sense, but more of a thrash/death hybrid of the best kind (God Damn I hate labeling stuff). Oh well, it kicks @ss, so pick it up and never be disappoointed.I guess if I had to draw comparisons it would be to very early Metallica, perhaps Bathory for the raw thrash feel,and great death metal such as Death.

Most of Rotting Christ fans believe that this is their best record. Well i disagree -> check out Theogonia. This is another black metal album , i cant see what makes the difference.